Dolphins, Tannehill 'embarrassed' by 37-3 loss to Titans

Rookie QB throws 3 INTs in Miami's second consecutive loss

MIAMI GARDENS – — Rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill said he was "embarrassed" by the Miami Dolphins' 37-3 loss at Tennessee on Sunday at Sun Life Stadium.

He wasn't alone.

Teammates used the same word to describe the Dolphins' worst regular season loss since a 41-0 beating at Indianapolis in 1997.

"I didn't play well," Tannehill said. "We didn't play well as a team."

The Dolphins (4-5), who have now lost back-to-back games heading into Thursday's AFC East matchup at Buffalo, turned in their ugliest performance of the season while getting blown out by the hapless Titans (4-6).

And Tannehill led the way. He threw three interceptions, including one that was returned for a 49-yard touchdown, in Miami's four-turnover performance.

Tannehill, so good for the first half of the season, was dreadful Sunday. He finished 23-for-39 passing for 217 yards and no touchdowns. He ended with a passer rating of 42.4, his worst performance since he posted a 39.0 in the season-opening 30-10 loss at Houston, his other three-interception performance.

Miami trailed, 14-0, after the first quarter and 24-3 at halftime. Tennessee went ahead 7-0 after it turned a fumble recovery into 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jake Locker to wide receiver Kendall Wright. Then came a 17-yard touchdown run by running back Chris Johnson. After that, Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy, the former University of Miami standout, returned an interception 49 yards a four a touchdown to give Tennessee a 21-0 lead second-quarter lead. After Tennessee took a 31-3 lead in the third quarter, that was it.

"It just wasn't meant to be," Tannehill said.

The Dolphins were badly beaten on both lines of scrimmage. Three offensive linemen were called for penalties. Right guard Richie Incognito was even benched for a few plays after his second-quarter unsportsmanlike conduct infraction.

Miami only rushed for 54 yards, the seventh time in nine games they've failed to rush for 100 yards. Running back Reggie Bush, who was benched after losing a first-quarter fumble, only rushed for 21 yards on four carries. It was the eighth times in nine games he's rushed for 69 or fewer yards.

"They did a good job taking away the deeper throws by the coverages they were playing, so we were kind of having to dink and dunk all the way down the field," Tannehill said. "But we didn't make it work."

Tannehill's first interception, the one returned for a touchdown, was actually tipped.

"The linebacker didn't rush, he just sat at the line and jumped and tipped it and the guy happened to be in the right spot to pick it," he said. "He made a good play."

The second interception, when the Dolphins were down, 21-3, came with linebacker Akeem Ayers hanging all over Fasano.

"The guy is draped all over Fasano," Tannehill said. "I was trying to get a flag there."

The third interception, which came in the fourth quarter with Miami trailing, 34-3, was thrown right to linebacker Zach Brown.

"The guy made a good play on it," Tannehill said. "We had a read on the outside, the corner fell off and my read is to throw the under and the 'backer made a good play following my eyes out to the under."

With the running game almost nonexistent, the Dolphins will likely need a huge performance from Tannehill to win Thursday at Buffalo.

"We're going to see what kind of character we have bouncing back this week," Tannehill said.